Deanna Rosolen

Topics

Halifax – Consumers in Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland might like it. But loyal drinkers of Alexander Keith’s beer in Nova Scotia don’t like it at all – especially the horde of followers who responded to the news on the brewer’s Facebook page.

Since the news broke that the Labatt Brewing Company is moving production of Alexander Keith’s beer from Halifax, N.S. the brewer’s Facebook page has been buzzing.

Labatt made the announcement in Halifax on Tuesday, notifying employees that 22 full-time jobs and 17 temporary part-time workers could be affected. The layoffs will likely happen in February or March.

The company said that it’s planning to brew the iconic maritime beer in Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland because it’s more popular in those regions than in Nova Scotia. The move means it will also cost less to ship the beer to those consumers.

In Ontario, production is said to be moving to London where the Labatt plant will be adding 250,000 hectolitres of beer – three million cases – of Alexander Keith’s in the new year, reports the London Free Press.

Up until 2009, all of Alexander Keith’s brand beer was made in Nova Scotia, reports the CBC. That was until the summer of 2009 when the company moved some of its production to a brewery in B.C.

Tuesday’s announcement means the majority of beer brewed at the Halifax plant will not leave the Maritimes. Although Alexander Keith’s dark and light ales will still be made in Halifax, production of some of the India Pale Ale, Premium White and Red Amber Ale varieties will move out of the province.

Photo from Facebook.

Alexander Keith’s beer is one of the top Labatt products sold across Canada. Sixty per cent of people who drink the beer live in Ontario and Quebec.

On the Brewmaster’s site, the company says it will begin the accreditation process with the three new breweries and that the process will be just as rigorous as it was for the site in B.C.